President Lee Myung Bak has called again for North Korea to rejoin the international community of nations, saying, “North Korea should take part in change as a member of the international community. We are prepared to cooperate in these efforts.”
In a speech on “2011 Budget and Plan of Management”, as read in the President’s stead by Prime Minister Kim Hwang Shik to the National Assembly today, President Lee said, “Our dream is the fatherland’s peaceful reunification, and the first step is to establish the ‘peace community’ via North Korea’s denuclearization.”
The “peace community” represents the first step in the President’s “Three Reunifications” roadmap for the future of the Korean Peninsula, as outlined on Liberation Day, August 15th. It features a “peace community”, to be followed by an “economic community” and finally a “national community”.
President Lee emphasized, “We need to use economic cooperation to construct an economic community and improve the North Korean people’s lives through mutual prosperity,” adding, “Now the world is in a time of change, and any country which does not go along with this change will be left behind.”
“Based on stepping forward into a national community, I hope our nation can live well together and contribute to Northeast Asian and world peace,” he added.
Regarding preparations for peaceful reunification, President Lee went on, “I will make a constant diplomatic effort for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and to gather the people’s will behind reunification,” adding, “I will reinforce diplomatic cooperation in Northeast Asia and establish reciprocal partnerships with many countries which have close interests on the Korean Peninsula.”
“I will strengthen the national security posture so that tragic incidents such as the Cheonan incident can never occur again,” he also noted.
